Reborn
by Rainbow Anomaly
Summary: Jenny, saddened by the loss of her friends in their mission to resurrect Julian, tries to live a normal life attending college with the shadow man. But the other shadow men call upon an old, malevolent power to enact their revenge, and she is beckoned towards the prospect of a new game. Now she must rescue her friends one by one, with the young shadow man fighting by her side.
1. A Shadow's Beginning

A Shadow's Beginning

Thousands of years ago, the young group of shadow men, still beautiful in their youth, decided to create an heir to their race. For the first time in their history, they would create a Shadow Girl. They came together and used all of their power, fused it into the runestave and carved a name into the wood. They did not know what would happen, so as the letters glowed brightly for a moment, flashing, they prepared for the worst.

Then the shadows swirled and twisted, creating an icy tornado. Spinning faster and faster, a silhouette formed on the inside of the storm of ice and shadows. The ground began to shake lightly, and the darkness began to roar in the wind. The young men stepped back, amazed, shading their eyes as lightning flashed.

Finally, the storm began to die down, the ice dispersed and the shadows faded away to reveal a young girl on the ground, no older than seven. Her long black hair shimmered in the faint light, and she looked up at the shocked shadow men with round, glistening red eyes.

The shadow men, wary, exchanged glances. One, looking about thirty, ran his fingers through his flame red hair, golden eyes focused on the girl. Cautiously, he stepped forward, reaching a hand out to her. Her bright, oddly innocent red eyes stared up at him for a moment before she extended her pale arm out to him. As soon as her small hand touched his, he felt something change inside him, a warmth that hadn't been there before. He smiled a wickedly handsome smile and said in a voice like wind chimes,

"Hello, Adrianna."

There was a quiet murmuring between the others, and the red headed man held up a hand to silence them. Adrianna glanced at them, then turned her beautiful eyes on him again. She swallowed nervously and he nodded in encouragement.

"Hell-o." Her voice was like the notes of a piano, beautiful and resounding. The shadow man grinned and helped her stand. Still holding onto her hand, he prompted the other shadow men to come forward.

One by one, the men introduced themselves to the young girl. The blond, with eyes like fathomless black holes shook her hand and she smiled warmly at him. The one with black hair with a small black goatee and midnight purple eyes greeted her, his mouth a straight line and his voice like silk. One after another the devilishly bewitching men met her and dispersed, breaking off to speak with the others about the girl. The whole time, the flame headed man watched the girl, pride blossoming inside.

Over the years, the shadow men trained the girl, teaching her in the the ways of magic. Adrianna showed such promise, she learned incredibly fast. She was a natural. The girl wielded a power that was unmatched, greater than all the shadow men combined, though they didn't know that at the time. They raised her for years, and their pride in her was evident.

But the shadow men were the shadow men all the same. After five years, when her physical form was about eleven, they showed her what else the shadow men did. They taught her how to play with humans, how to take them, how to break them. At first she was afraid, but eventually she grew used to it. She saw how they lured girls into the shadows, eyes filled with playful desire. They'd play with the girls sometimes. But sometimes they would just torture them, men and women alike. She saw them play with the humans like dispensable toys. It was all fun and games, when someone got hurt.

Adrianna helped them, her red eyes gleaming as she tortured the innocent souls. She learned quickly at this as well, and she devised cruel games to play with the humans. The shadow men's pride grew even more. They had never seen such spirit before, such enthusiasm, but their pride blinded them.

Years passed, and her games grew darker and darker, more cruel, more tortuous. She was older now, her appearance around twenty-two years.

As time had passed she had noticed something as well. For instance, the man with the blond hair's skin had turned hard, almost scaly in small patches all over him. And the brown haired man looked like there were mushroom shelves growing on his skin. It had started on his cheek, but now it was growing on his arms and chest as well. The man with the purple eyes began getting rashes on his neck and shoulders, like a bad sunburn. His skin was peeling off lightly because of it. Their voices had become rougher too, harsher. The man who had the dark green eyes and a voice like a whisper in the wind now sounded like a scratching on a chalk board. They were changing.

But Adrianna, now a woman, noticed these changes with nothing more than a slight interest. Her jet black hair had grown longer, down to her waist, and her lips were as red as her eyes. Her features were sharp and distinct, and she was inhumanly beautiful. She was vaguely worried about the shadow men, though the red haired man had not begun to change yet.

He was the one she would be most concerned about anyway. He had been her prime mentor, the man who had always lead her and taught her so she could fulfill her full potential. And she had. They were family to each other. They loved each other, as much as anyone of their race could love. Of course, they would never admit that out loud.

She was too involved in her new games to care now. Adrianna had devised a new plot that would kill dozens of humans, maybe hundreds of them. She smiled an evil smile. She would revel in their blood. Adrianna had grown to be a cruel monster, hungry for human blood ever since she was eleven.

She was famous for her clever ideas, thinking up ways to torture those insolent humans like never before. She had slipped into hundreds of minds letting her shadows entangle their poor, helpless brains, causing the humans to go mad in a matter of seconds. A little after a century passed, and finally the shadow men saw what Adrianna was becoming. Her games had grown too large, her actions were being noticed by the humans. They were growing suspicious. Adrianna was getting out of control. Soon she began starting wars between the humans, laughing as their blood coated her skin.

One day the shadow men confronted her. They told her that she was being too conspicuous, that she needed to lie low for a couple years or the humans would-

"Would what?!" She had asked angrily. "I don't want to hide anymore! I don't want to live alongside them anymore!" The red headed man pulled back, gold eyes wide with shock.

"Adrianna, you know the laws," he had said worriedly.

"I don't care!" She spat at him. "You're all too weak to see that we could use our powers against them. We could rule them!"

He couldn't believe what she was saying. She couldn't mean it. But of course, she did. Her anger had sparked her power, and now her hair was floating above her shoulders, wisps of shadows flying around her.

"You'll see."

Then she vanished without a trace.

A couple years passed, and things took a turn for the worse. The human world had changed, become darker somehow. The shadow men conversed, tried to find Adrianna and reason with her, but she was gone. Until one day, when a mass war broke out between the humans. The battle seemed like it would never end, and the blood was unimaginable. The shadow men knew who was to blame for the catastrophe.

They traveled to a palace surrounded by ruin and a hoard of battling humans, impaling one other and tearing each other apart. Entering the doors, they found Adrianna, perched atop a throne, covered in crimson blood. She smiled wickedly as she saw them walking towards her.

"I told you I could do it. You didn't believe me, but then, you didn't know how powerful I really am," Adrianna bragged to them casually.

"Adrianna, please, you cannot do this," The shadow man said, his voice like wind chimes.

"If you don't APPROVE, I really couldn't care less. Unless you intend to fight me." Her demonic red eyes glinted dangerously.

The man, looking older and more tired than he ever had before, ran his hand through his flaming red hair. He sighed, taking a deep breath and leveled his golden eyes to meet hers.

"I'm afraid we must."

The battle between the shadow men and the monster they created lasted for years. Sometimes they fought alone, sometimes they even fought beside small armies of rebellious humans. After a while of this multi-world war, Adrianna's power was faltering. Using so much of it so often had hurt her greatly.

Finally, the last battle came. The shadow men and humans fought together against the powerful shadow woman, and the battle lasted hours. Suddenly Adrianna faltered. The red haired man lunged forward to deal the final blow. She looked up at him, pain and surprise in her eyes. And all he could see was that little girl he had loved so much.

He couldn't do it.

Quickly the other shadow men attacked her, pinning her down as they pulled out the runestave and tossed it to him. The liquid of the stave flashed brightly in Adrianna's carving. She was weak enough now, she COULD die.

The flaming haired shadow man looked at her, his yellow eyes sad. And she looked back at him, eyes ablaze with anger as she struggled against the shadow men, roaring.

He closed his eyes and lowered the blade to the stave. Taking a deep breath, listening to the sounds of war all around him. He had decided.

The shadow man opened his eyes suddenly and looked at what he had created. In one quick movement, he wiped her name from the stave. She screamed, a sound of pure agony, and faded from existence.

As the years passed, the human world moved on, the scars that Adrianna had created were healing. The shadow men had left back to their world immediately after the battle. They had stayed closed off from the human world for years, for it was too soon to interfere again. Though they would not admit it, it was irrevocably and ironically true. The shadow men had saved the human world.

The pain at losing the one they had raised, cared for, even loved, was a burden too heavy to carry. Decades passed, and they became hideous. The illnesses that had begun in them overcame them in their weakness, consuming them. The pain they felt in their hearts was reflected in their appearances now. Even the red haired man had become a deformed creature now. It had hit him the hardest, with no warning. The shadow men were true monsters, just as Adrianna had been.

A little less than four hundred years later, the shadow men came together. It was time to choose a new heir. They swore they would never make another female shadow man again, it was too dangerous.

So, they created a new shadow man, and they watched with cold, cruel eyes as a boy around thirteen was formed from the shadows. His snow white hair glimmered in the faint light, shimmering with little particles of frost. He turned his naïve, innocent blue eyes on the deformed creatures in front of him and they filled with fear.

One with frightening yellow eyes stepped forward and yanked him to his feet. In a voice that was like harsh clanking metal, the shadow man explained everything to the boy, who they were, who he was, and showed him what he would become. They showed him nothing but cold malice and cruelty as they taught him in the ways of magic. He showed promise, and he learned fast. But they did not care. There was no pride in them because they knew now that the shadow race were monsters, inside and out. Once he had learned, they turned away from him.

And so the boy turned to the human world for comfort, for warmth. He knew how to play games, the shadow men had showed him, but he had lost interest. So, watching earth in search of warmth, and light, maybe even love -all the things the shadow men could not give him- the boy found solace.

Until one day, a horrid old human man used a spell on the shadow men, trapping them. The boy, older then, looked about the age of 17. He was afraid and angry, but he did not show it, not in front of the other furious shadow men. They stayed in that old fool's closet for years, angry and hungry for revenge. Until one day, a little girl with big, innocent green eyes, and beautiful golden hair, with skin that looked like it had been kissed by the sun skipped down the basement stairs. Until she opened a door she really should have left shut.


	2. Prologue

**REBORN**

***PROLOGUE***

Lightning flashed in the misty skies, illuminating the icy, frost covered park below. Shadows, ice, and mist stretched into the distance. A ferris wheel loomed up above the deformed creatures as they arrived in the Shadow Park. Frost shimmered in the dim lights of the ruined, abandoned amusement park. The entire place seemed even more sinister as the music played quietly, a haunting tune that seemed slower and lower-pitched than it had been earlier that very same day on Earth. The rides creaked and groaned, as if alive and awakening from a harsh, long, slumber. The ferris wheel spun slowly, it's light bulbs illuminating and dimming again and again. A faint wind carried the cold air throughout the park, ruffling the openings of the tents. The whole place was dark, save for the dim lights of the rides.

The shadow men began arriving in the spot of ground just outside the park's light house. This had been the very same place those wretched children had both escaped from their clutches, and slinked back in. But their revenge was not complete. One human, after all these years, had thwarted the shadow men. It was the ultimate disgrace. The memory and significance of the ground beneath their feet thrummed with power. The turning wheel spun faster for a moment, it's lights flashed brightly before dimming once again. Shadows danced across the stony ground in anticipation of the moment to come.

The shadow men had gathered together to discuss something of vital importance. This was a night that would be remembered for years to come. The tale would either be told in triumphant voices, or defeated ones. They hoped it would not be the latter. The creatures flicked their piercing eyes at each other warily. Horribly deformed, their repulsive exteriors reflected their cruel, merciless ways. They were ageless, born before girls traveled to rivers with baskets on their heads, when panthers stalked outside of grass huts, and when the biggest danger was the darkness of night. They were as ruthless and harsh as the land they lived in. And now, it was time to commence the ritual.

The stave of life floated in the middle of the circle the shadow men had made, silvery energy flowing from it. The members of the shadow race whispered among each other, hissing under their breath.

"We must" said a voice like nails on a chalkboard, cold and malicious. The shadow men had been arguing for hours now.

"Are you mad?!" said the respected elder, with a voice like harsh clanking metal. "Have you already forgotten what happened?"

"Of course not! But if we are to have our revenge-"

"She nearly destroyed us all!" shrieked one with haunting purple eyes and peeling skin.

"Last time," the one with fathomless black eyes said with a stern look at the sickening man. "But now she will know what we are willing to do to make sure she stays in line."

One with crocodile eyes and rough skin stepped forward. "Don't be ridiculous! Her power is far too great to control. As soon as she wakes, it will all begin again. She shall destroy the entire shadow world, then move onto earth. It is too much of a risk."

The shadow men whispered loudly to each other, creating an uproar.

Suddenly the one with a voice like nails on a chalkboard spoke out. "Silence!" All sound ceased at once as the inhuman eyes turned towards him. "He is right. We must, for the pride of our kind at the least. Our revenge must be enacted. And she is the only one who can touch the girl. Besides... If it is in her interests... I am sure she would be more than happy to oblige." He smiled maliciously as the others eyed him suspiciously. The one who spoke first grinned with teeth like a shark's, following his lead.

"Yes... A game! She loved her games, and they were delightfully awful. She would be most interested in a game with the girl. She would break the girl in just minutes. Just imagine what her powers could do to the little sorceress! Our revenge would be sweet and soaked in that little witch's blood!" The man cried with bloodlust shining in his eyes, a wild grin on his face. Eyes began to light in the circle, as the members of the ancient race began to nod in approval, their whispers turning to ones of excitement.

"And just think... Maybe we could give her a present... A little toy for her to play with after she breaks that little human girl in half." After a moment he continued, his monstrous voice encouraging. "I think she'd just love to get to know the newest shadow man... Don't you think?"

The voices grew louder now as the shadow men caught on. "Yes!" One shouted. "Give her the boy!" Harsh laughs rang out. "She shall rip him apart in less than a day!" They became giddy and wild as they pictured her tearing him to pieces. "Revenge will finally be ours!" Excitement ran through them like electricity.

Cold laughter resounded through the mist, echoing across the land.

After a moment, it grew quiet. They turned to their leader, expectation clear in their eyes. This shadow man had been standing apart from all the others, more hideous than all the rest. He had once been the most beautiful of them all, but the... illness had consumed him with ravenous hunger. Looking up, his sick, yellow eyes were filled with pain and worry. Memories flashed through his mind involuntarily. Her red eyes, so innocent. Those same eyes, flashing dangerously as she screeched at him, struggling in the arms of the other shadow men. The look of betrayal in those eyes as he eradicated his very own child from existence. The other shadow men's voices rose, screaming for it to be done.

Watching their anxious murmuring and glimmering eyes, he knew he had no choice. All the others desired it, all of them had clearly wished so hard to forget, that they finally succeeded. But he remembered. He remembered her eyes, her blood covered smile. They were dooming themselves to a fate worse than death. But their odd reasonings began to soak into his mind. Who knows? She always had been so unpredictable. One thing he knew was, he greatly pitied the human girl for what was in store.

The leader, the one with cold yellow eyes sighed and stepped forward. A knife flashed in the dim light of the park. He began to carve the name onto the stave. Once he finished, the name flashed a horrible blood red color. Suddenly all the lights of the park lit up at once, blindingly for a few moments. They began flashing faster and faster, an unknown force bringing the park to life once more.

The laughter grew, close to mad shrieking as the ground shook beneath their feet. The yellow eyed man gaped at the sight of it all. What had he done? Lightning flashed, and the shadows moved and swirled in a small gusto to form a new being. The ice and shadows roared together in the twisting storm. A silhouette began to take shape in the center, and red eyes glowed brightly and sinisterly from inside the twister. They were the kind of eyes that children saw in their closets at night, the eyes that hunters fear most for it means that now _they _are the prey. The kind of eyes that make you want to scream and run in the other direction, but freeze you in place. The Shadow Men would have their revenge yet, on the one called Jenny Thornton.


	3. Chapter 1

**~CHAPTER 1~**

Jenny's legs swung back and forth as she sat on the dorm room balcony rail that night. There were no sounds of the night other than her own blissful humming and the whistling of the wind. The teenager's eyes were closed as she basked in the moonlight, and a light breeze made her hair float in the wind. Though it was normally blonde, in the iridescent moonlight it looked like silky amber waves. The eighteen-year-old opened her forest green eyes, dark with deep thought. The moon rose into the sky, not yet full, framed by wisps of dark clouds. Few stars were visible that night, giving the darkness an even more mysterious demeanor. Jenny sighed, at peace with the world for once. Everything was so simple here, so bright, so easy. She sat there thinking about her life. She felt cleansed, free, and strong.

This place, -Amity- was a nice town, small, but in a cozy kind of way. It reminded her of home. She smiled wistfully at the thought. _I wonder if this could be it,_ she thought, _the place I could start over in_. What had happened back in Vista Grande she was determined to bury, for a number of reasons. Jenny's past was one of dark secrets and painful memories. It had been best for her and everyone else back home for her to have left. Even after everything that had happened, though, she felt terribly homesick.

Suddenly Jenny felt a stinging sensation in the back of her eyes as they filled with tears. She remembered what she had left behind. The water droplets streaked down her sun-kissed cheeks for a moment before she wiped them away. This place was a new beginning. A place she could finally be normal - or as close to normal as she ever could be. She knew she'd be safe here. After all, the shadow men had gotten their revenge. And just as they had intended, it had struck Jenny so hard and so painfully, she didn't know if she would ever recover. Looking out into the beautifully peaceful night, it seemed possible. Still, she wondered if it had been worth it.

Absentmindedly Jenny fingered the ring she wore on her left hand, making it flash in the moonlight. All I refuse & Thee I chuse, it had read.

Images flashed through her mind. Julian, ethereally beautiful, teeth flashing in his wolf-hungry smile as he slipped the ring on her finger. Tom, eyes ablaze as he lunged at Julian in the house parlor. Grandpa Evan's expression as the Shadow Men dragged him away into a storm of ice and shadows. A ring of fire, roaring, swirling around her and her friends. A blade coming down onto a wooden stick, the runestave. Iridescent liquid eerily blood-like as Julian stumbled and fell. The looks in the Shadow Men's eyes as they discovered the group of friends carving Julian's name back onto the stave and watching him reappear, only a few months after the end of the last game. And she remembered her own screams as only Julian and herself escaped.

Jenny's fingernails dug into her palms. She could feel her composure beginning to crack again. Taking deep breaths, Jenny thought about the new start she had been able to make here in Amity. She thought about the young shadow man. She thought about how he held her as she cried for the loss of her friends. Since then, he had been gentle, and kind, something that still was able to surprise her somehow. He had done anything to make it better. And it had, in a way. Jenny had desperately needed someone to hold her, a shoulder to cry on. It meant so much to have Julian there with her.

The shadow man wouldn't admit it, but Jenny knew he somehow felt guilty about what had happened. But she knew the truth. It was her fault her friends were dead, or maybe even worse. She had led her friends straight into the clutches of the shadow men. She had told them that they owed it to Julian to bring him back after saving them all from his elders. Yet, a small voice inside Jenny told her that really, she just wanted to see those eyes once more, to hear that musical voice of his one last time. That she cared for him. But Jenny had pushed it down.

The worst part, though, was when she tried to explain it to her parents. Like after the first game, she told them the truth, the only thing she knew to say. But as she had begged them to believe her, tears dripping down her face, she saw their eyes change. They grew glassy and cold, like they had shut down. Her parents wouldn't believe her. Her own parents. They had turned away, wouldn't believe a word she said. And as she desperately tried again, her mother suddenly couldn't take it anymore.

"Enough!" Mrs. Thornton had screamed. "Jenny, I've had enough of this nonsense. If you won't tell us where your friends are, then... What are we supposed to believe?" Her voice broke. Jenny had just stared. Her own mother, thought she was a murderer. After that, Jenny couldn't take it anymore. She stopped trying to explain to them, it was useless. The looks people gave her everywhere she went were ones of distrust and fear. She couldn't live her life anymore where she was, and she couldn't stand to be a disappointment to her family any longer. A week later, Jenny left. And after only one day, while staying in a hotel a room over from one Julian had rented as well, she had been watching the news. That was when she had learned that her family had mysteriously gone missing. But Jenny knew what had befallen them. The shadow men had gotten them, too. The last people she cared about were gone. And it was all her fault.

When she had finally left home, Julian had come with, and as reluctant as she was, she secretly knew she wanted him there. It meant the world to know a familiar face when starting a whole new life. They had traveled far north, just remaining inside Florida's border. It was far enough that no one would recognize her, and she could use her own name. She had enrolled in East University and been accepted immediately. Julian had as well, though he had no records of past school or even any evidence of his existence. Jenny didn't want to know what he did to get that to work out.

She had made so many new friends since then, and none of them knew her dark past. And Jenny had thought she had had secrets from her friends before... Her nightmare that Jenny had encountered in the paper house seemed like nothing in comparison to what her life had become now. Yet Jenny was getting good grades, earning good money from her part-time job at the animal shelter, and she was finally starting the life she had always dreamed of. Without any of the people she wanted most by her side...

Everyday she carried the guilt that she hadn't been able to save her friends. They were gone, and it was all her fault. They all thought she'd murdered them. And in a way, she thought, I did. I let them come with me BACK into the shadow world to save someone they didn't even care about. She'd had nightmares about it for weeks, tossing and turning over the idea of what those deformed monsters had done to her friends.

Her eyelids fluttered as her expression crumbled. She could not stop the tears again. Jenny sobbed and sobbed until she had no more tears to give. Everyone she most cared about was gone. But she'd get them back somehow. She hadn't told Julian, but she knew that her little rescue mission was not going to be the last time she ventured into the shadow world. Jenny would either go back to save her friends, or to get revenge for their deaths.

Or would she? Jenny's eyes grew dark again. She kept telling herself she was only waiting for when she would be ready, but... A normal life, one with Julian by her side, called to her in beautiful, seductive tones. She still didn't know what she and Julian were now. She had told herself they would just be friends until she rescued her loved ones, but a small part of Jenny always spoke up, calling out for Julian to hold her again. To touch her, to kiss her. Jenny shook her head, unable to understand her own thoughts. Finally done crying, she wiped her eyes. Her heart ached and her eyelids began to feel heavy. Jenny sighed, wiped from crying so much. She jumped down from the balcony rail and walked over to the doors, closing them behind her.

Jenny's roommate, Cara, was sleeping in the bed next to hers. She smiled slightly and slipped into her bed. And as sleep took hold of her, Jenny thought about how this wouldn't be the end. In fact, something deep inside Jenny told her that something new was coming, and her adventures were far from over.


	4. Chapter 2

**~CHAPTER 2~**

THUMP! Jenny opened her eyes, her head half covered by her comforter as she awakened on her room floor. An alarm blared blatantly at her on her bedside vanity, flashing its red lights at her. It reminded her of something... Jenny couldn't quite remember. She felt that she should.

Looking around, her head still topped with the blanket, she saw black dots dancing across her vision. Jenny groggily tried to figure out why she was now on the floor. The blanket was suddenly ripped from over her head and she was momentarily blinded. Spinning around, she saw a figure standing over her.

Jenny swung her head up and looked at Cara with an open mouth, and the coppery headed girl shook her head at Jenny furiously.

"Don't give me that look, Thornton. We're almost late!"

Jenny whipped around to look at her alarm clock again, scarlet numbers flashing at her mockingly. It was half past eight o'clock. Her first class began at nine. Jenny gasped and flung herself up, running to the bathroom hurriedly. After a quick shower and a bit of makeup, she glanced at her reflection and nodded. _Good enough._ She emerged from the bathroom, glowing. Cara, copper ringlets bouncing, grabbed her and dragged her out of the dorm.

"I can't believe we both overslept!" Cara said loudly. Her auburn hair shimmered in the morning sunlight as the two quickly made their way across campus. Batting her heavily mascara'd eyelashes at Jenny, she looked beautiful, with her flawless makeup and perfectly curled hair. Jenny wondered how she could look like that if they had both woken up late, but the thing with Cara was, no matter what, she looked fabulous. It was as natural as breathing to the eighteen-year-old. Jenny at first had mistaken it for pure vanity when they had first met, but as she got to know Cara, she saw it was something deeper than that.

Jenny shook her own golden hair out from a messy ponytail, hoping she at least looked presentable. She was painfully wary of her appearance as she walked next to her friend, though there was no need to. Together they crossed the courtyard of the great oak tree, Jenny's favorite place on the whole college campus. Its great branches stretched across the morning sky, and the grass was wet with dew. The sun was rising in the sky, creating a beautiful sea of colors above their heads. It reminded Jenny of the one time she had stayed up to watch the precise moment of dawn. It reminded her of eyes.

Cara, cut off on her babbling as she had been doing-as usual- while Jenny drifted off, and snapped her fingers in front of her friend's face.

"What's wrong, Thornton? You seem out of it." She sounded concerned, though there was a playful note in her tone.

"Just a rough night's sleep," Jenny replied. Which wasn't a lie; she had been having her nightmares for weeks now. It had been on and off for a while. Sometimes she would sleep well and dreamlessly. And other times, the memories would become too much, and haunt her in her dreams. The night had always seemed dangerous to Jenny, but now it was just a pain. Yet for some reason, even in the morning sunlight, Jenny felt a knot forming in her stomach. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Nevertheless, she tried, and after a moment it was pushed to the back of her mind as the two rushed across campus to class.

Mind wandering, Jenny looked at Cara as she began talking again. Her short auburn hair was curled into little ringlets around her heart-shaped face, falling neatly above her dynamic hazel eyes. The sun fell on her just right, making her hair shine.

Jenny had always thought her friend cared too much about her appearance with her smoky eye shadow and heavily mascara-covered lashes. Her short skirts, tiny spaghetti strap tops, excessive jewelry, it all seemed too much. But then, that was Cara. Always loud, happy, and flashy as ever. And Jenny loved her for it. Sometimes it hurt her though, how painfully similar Cara was to Audrey. Jenny's heart gave a little squeeze.

Cara flipped her hair giddily, unaware of her friend's deep thoughts beside her.

"... And, well, I thought you could bring that _hot_ boy toy of yours, Julian." Cara looked at her then.

Jenny snapped back into focus. "I'm sorry?" She asked, blushing a little for not paying closer attention.

Cara rolled her eyes playfully. "Honestly honey, you're nothing without your sleep." She stopped to catch her breath as she clacked her heels quickly, a little behind Jenny's fast pace.

She began again somewhat condescendingly, "I was saying that there's this great party at Eric's frat this Saturday night and I thought it'd be great if you could invite Julian for me. He'd be quite the crowd pleaser, don't you think?" She asked good naturedly, yet there was a hint of deviousness in her voice as she looked sideways at Jenny.

Jenny's stomach tightened in a small knot. Something about hearing Julian like some sort of toy made her uncomfortable. But then, she thought with a smile, Julian was far too dangerous to be thought of as a toy. If only Cara knew...

"Listen...," she began, "Julian and I... are just friends, and I don't know if-"

"If what?" Cara interrupted. "I'm sure we can find a girl more than willing to have a piece of that, if you're not." Her eyes glinted as she bit her lip. "I mean, MMM! That boy is fiiine. If it weren't for Eric, I'd take a shot at him myself. It's a shame he lives off campus... I wonder where he goes all the time." Cara's eyes darkened with curiosity. Then she blinked, already moving on. "Besides, I wouldn't mind seeing what kinda moves he's got. And there's no question any other girl would feel the same way."

Jenny's stomach tightened again. The arguing voices started up in her mind again. Don't be silly, Thornton. There's nothing to be upset ABOUT. But even with her reasonings, she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling she felt inside.

Cara looked at her mischievously. "Unless... That makes you uncomfortable."

Jenny rolled her eyes. "Not this again.."

"Face it Jenny Thornton you're jealous!" The redhead squeaked happily, giggling.

Jenny just laughed and shook her head as they headed through the doorway into IB French to start class. There was no way Jenny felt anything for the young shadow man. With a small smile to herself she thought about what Cara would do if she found out what Julian really was. But for a moment she truly thought to herself about it. Was she jealous? After all, the thought of Julian, smiling that smile of his, holding in her arms, just sent butterflies through Jenny. And the thought of him smiling that smile, surrounded by beautiful girls fawning over him just... Hit something in Jenny.

Sitting down, she pushed it to the back of her mind as her professor entered into her lecture.

"Bonjour, classe. Aujourd'hui , si vous pouviez prendre vos livres et tourner à la page 256, nous allons commencer ..."

Jenny went through the rest of her classes that day, preoccupying her mind. Her favorite class, animal treatment had gone greatly as always. She and her friends had talked endlessly, giving their own little stories about the animals they'd saved or taken in as kids.

Elizabeth, a bright, quiet girl with long black hair and chilling blue eyes spoke about two little baby swallows she had taken in when she was seven. There was a warmth in her face that few got to see.

Elliot, one of the few boys in the class, talked excitedly about a puppy he had found when he was twelve. His chocolatey brown eyes had lit up, his bright red hair bouncing on top of his head as he gestured widely and his freckles seeming brighter over his wide grin.

Even Sasha, the cool, tan-skinned girl with her hair pulled back in a stylish ponytail had mentioned a snake she had found in her mother's garden once. Her mother had screamed and nearly fainted at the sight of it, Sasha had added with a wicked smile.

Jenny watched her friends with a soft smile on her face as they each told their stories. She herself had spoken about the mangy cat she had taken in a couple months ago. Several smiles broke out among the class as she told them about the dirty old grump she had adopted. Afterwards, Jenny left class feeling rejuvenated.

Elliot beamed at her as the group departed, shouting to her, "Hey! You should come to Eric's party. I'll be there so you know it'll be a blast!" He added with a playful wink before turning back to leave. Jenny stopped and faced him, chuckling lightly at him. The boy walked closer to Sasha, putting his arm around her. She looked at him coolly with a look that said, "I don't _think_ so." and he quickly pulled his arms back, held up in joking surrender. Jenny laughed, shaking her head at her friends before turning as well to her next two classes.

"... And that, class, marked the end of the eighteenth century brigades." Drawing a deep, rasping breath, the professor readied himself to continue.

_Oh no_._ I don't know how much more of this I can take._ Jenny rubbed her temples. She looked at the clock impatiently, tapping her foot in time with its ticking. Putting a hand to her abdomen, her lips twitched down in a grimace as her stomach grumbled angrily at her. Glancing at the teacher, she watched him pull out a handkerchief and cough roughly into it, before putting it away and beginning his lecture again. Jenny groaned.

The bell clanged shrilly and she nearly flew up from her seat. Walking hastily, she put her books away in her bag and crossed the campus to the oak tree. As soon as Jenny stepped into the warm sunlight she felt several times better. Tilting her head up and closing her eyes, she stopped to bask in the soft heat. She inhaled deeply, breathing in the summer air, and sighed. Opening her shining eyes, she strolled over to the great oak tree. As she approached the monolithic landmark, a bobbing copper head caught her eye.

Turning in her direction, Cara smiled and waved Jenny over. "Jenny! Hey! Over here!" She quickened her pace to reach the two huddled beneath the stretching branches of the tree.

Sitting down, Jenny looked at the black haired boy sprawled out beside her friend. "Hey Eric," she greeted him. "How's Bio?"

The twenty-year-old's dark eyes lit up with natural warmth at her question. "Great! We're at crustacean biodiversity now. Professor Ingram told us about the harmful residue left of the oil spill on the smaller species in the gulf today and the domino effects that-"

Cara laughed, shaking her fiery mane of hair behind her, touching his arm lightly. She batted her eyes at him. "Eric, you're doing it again." She faced Jenny and pointed her thumb at her boyfriend. "Amity's star quarterback and all he can talk about is fish. I wonder what the team would say!"

Jenny shrugged. "At least he's passionate."

Eric's face turned pink in a blush as Cara giggled. She kissed him on the cheek and turned back to Jenny.

"So, tonight I'm gonna go with Eric and help him get ready for his party. I thought you might wanna know just in case you need anything." Cara paused for a moment to fix her already perfect hair. She then quirked her mouth into an odd smile and looked sideways at Jenny. "And... Speaking of the party... Any word from Julian yet?"

Jenny let out a heavy breath, trying not to laugh, and shook her head at her friend.

"Nope. I haven't seen him around in almost three days now." Cara twisted her face into a pout. Jenny put up her hands to signal that it wasn't her fault. "Hey! Don't blame me. You know him, he comes and goes as he pleases. As far as I know, he only has a few classes, if any."

Cara crossed her arms and slumped against the tree. "Dang it! Why does he have to live off campus?" She sighed dramatically. "Alright, well, if you see him, let him know, alright?"

Jenny nodded. She didn't know if she would invite him or not, but based on his recent disappearance, she might not even get the chance. A small part of her hoped so. And yet another part of her hoped she'd see him soon.

Cara's head snapped to the side and her face broke into an excited grin. "Hey! Elliot, Sasha, over here!" Jenny looked off toward her friends and smiled, waving them over.

The rest of the day passed by quickly, and when she returned to her dorm she was reminded of the fact that Cara was out with Eric. Her eyes swept over the dark, empty room before she made her way out the French doors to the veranda.

The beautiful girl walked out to the balcony and leaned against the rail, her hair blowing in the light breeze.

As she gazed up at the large moon floating in the sky, she felt a surging, pulsing feeling like electricity coursing through her. Narrowing her eyes, Jenny deliberated it. Glancing down at her ring shining in the moonlight, she took it off her finger to examine. When Julian had first given it to her, the inscription had said 'All I Refuse & Thee I Chuse', words binding her to him. The ring had changed since then. All that time ago, when the shadow men had threatened Jenny and her friends, and Julian, eyes like the flashing blue center of a flame, had stood up against his elders to save them. When he lay dying in Jenny's arms, and he had given her the ring once again, it had changed. Now it read 'I Am My Only Master'. Jenny, standing beneath the starlit sky, thought about those words. She thought about how helpless she had felt while she watched Julian fade away. It was a feeling she never wanted to feel again.

Jenny closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Suddenly she opened them, her decision made.

She wanted to make sure she never felt that helpless again, not of she were to save her friends. Jenny whispered the words under her breath.

"I am my only master."

It was time to get some practice in.


	5. Chapter 3

**~CHAPTER 3~**

Jenny's pace quickened, her sandals slapping the ground with each step she took. The soft grass tickled the flesh of her feet, silencing her footsteps as she entered the ominously dark forest. Glancing up, she looked at the tree branches hanging above her blonde-topped head, then back at the campus buildings receding from view. Safety was quickly becoming a speck in the distance.

Breathing deeply, alarm slithering through her, she chanted beneath her breath. "I am my only master, I am my only master." _You're being ridiculous_, she told herself. But then, the last time she'd done this, it had still been light out, and Julian had been with her. The nostalgic feeling at digging up that memory lightened the burden of her unease. She had still been upset about losing her friends, she had told him she wanted to be able to protect herself. In case the shadow men came for her too.

Together they had found a clearing in the woods and they stood side by side, bending the world's nature around them. It had been wonderful. They had finished for the day and sat down beneath the shelter of the trees above them, looking up at the skies and talking for hours. Books, art, history, just about anything was discussed under those protective branches as the sun had cast a halo of light around the two. Julian had spoken passionately about the truth behind dozens of myths and legends, and explaining the parts that humans had vastly exaggerated. He had told her who had _really_ been the ones to begin wars, and who were really the ones who stopped them. While living in the shadow world for so long, Julian had seen so much of her world as well. Jenny had watched his eyes light with exotic fire, listened to his musical voice speak for hours. They had argued, debated, agreed, and even for a couple moments, sang together under those sunlit leaves. It was one of Jenny's most dear moments, one filled with laughter and smiles.

There was none of that light or laughter now. This time the woods were silent, gone were the sounds of birds. Or any other animal for that matter. Jenny halted. She hadn't noticed just how quiet it was until now. The girl shook her head and continued on.

As she walked she tried not to notice how different this seemed than her memory. Darkness. All around her. The forest was silent, but there was now a dull roaring in her ears. I am my only master.

Everywhere she looked it seemed like something was moving. _IammyonlymasterIammyonlymaster_. Jenny stopped again, her hands clenching tensely to shake the odd feeling from them. Her little fingers had begun to tingle frantically, warning her. Something was watching her.

The little hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Alarmed, Jenny peered into the foliage of the trees. Her eyes scanned the leaves until two objects flashed back at her. Her eyes widened as they met the pair staring at her. For a moment, the two simply stared at each other, neither one making a move. Finally Jenny couldn't keep herself still anymore.

Moving quickly, Jenny dashed through the pines and firs, looking for someplace safe to go. The trees blurred around her into swirls of grey and dark green as she bolted between them. Light peeked out at the borderline of her vision. Her heart leaped. She pushed towards it, hoping it was safe.

Stumbling out of the cover of the trees, Jenny was surprised to have found herself standing in clearing perfect for what she had had in mind when she set out that night. She blinked, the trembling of her body beginning to cease as she stood beneath the starry sky. After a few moments she had effectively calmed herself. By now her eyes had quickly adjusted to the darkness, perceiving every detail.

Jenny's mind focused, trying to remember what Julian had taught her so many months ago. She began her preparations. Her left leg extended out across the dirt as Jenny readied herself. She found herself in a balanced stance, arms out before her. She smiled. Easy as riding a bike.

Breathing deeply, she focused on the warmth inside her. Jenny closed her eyes and concentrated on letting the power flow through and out of her body. She felt the warmth bubbling up inside her. The young woman opened her eyes, the small gold flecks in them brighter now, glowing in the sea of emerald green.

She opened her palm to the night sky and whispered the name for fire.

Her voice sounded out, strong and clear in the silent night air.

"Kenaz." And slowly, flickering to life, a flame appeared in Jenny's hand. The small light lit up the sorceress's face, casting dramatic shadows around her. She smiled softly, admiring its warmth. But then without warning, the flame flickered and died. Her brow wrinkled in confusion. Suddenly the strange tingling sensation began in her little fingers again. Her stomach lurched.

"Still can't get it?"

Jenny whirled around. A boy stood there, leaning against a tree on the other side of the clearing. He looked like a graceful panther, and he radiated danger.

Julian smiled, and a cold shiver ran down her spine. His frost-colored hair shimmered in the moonlight, looking like gleaming snow, a deceitful pure white color. The shadow man's eyes were dark and mysterious like the depths of the ocean, an indescribable, electrifying color that Jenny could easily lose herself in. Covered in the shadows they were midnight blue, the color of the sky above them. They were hooded by dark lashes, so heavy they seemed like they were weighing his eyelids down. His clothes were as black as the night, a simple black shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and matching trousers that emphasized his thin waist and lean, muscled legs. As he stood there casually, he looked like a hunter, eyeing its prey with crystal clear desire. He looked so exotic, so perfect and beautiful. Jenny wondered how she ever could have mistaken him for human.

The prince of shadows smiled rakishly at her and stepped forward. She blushed lightly as she realized she had been staring. His smile grew at her pink cheeks and she knew he had noticed how aware of his appearance she was. Jenny swallowed, slightly thrown off by his sudden arrival. She looked back at him with frustration and caution clear in her eyes for a moment. He laughed softly and she relaxed a bit, his light demeanor rubbing off on her. It was nearly impossible to be angry when Julian was around. He was as playful as a child when he wanted to be.

"I can't seem to hold it for more than a couple seconds," she complained softly to him. He stood gracefully. Julian chuckled lightly at her as he stalked over to her, turning to come up behind her.

"Need help, Sunshine?" He said in her right ear, his voice as smooth as silk.

She swallowed. He was far too close. But she didn't step away. Julian brushed her hair away from her neck before he spoke again, sending shivers down her spine.

"See, you have to concentrate," he began, his breath warm in her ear. It was extremely distracting.

Still standing behind her, he took her arm gently and extended it out, holding it in his own hand for a moment before he turned them both over. His left hand settled lightly on her waist. Fingers barely brushing her skin, Julian started to trace invisible designs on her palm. Jenny shivered in pleasure. He continued tracing on her hand, sending shots of electricity through her. Julian smiled behind her, his eyes dark with passion.

"You have to imagine the heat of the flame resting in your palm, you have to see it. Feel the warmth on your hand as if it really is there." His words washed over her, like water running over rocks. Jenny closed her eyes and let it. This combined with his hand on the bare skin of her waist, and his fingers moving seductively on her hand, caused Jenny's legs to feel like jelly. It had been long enough of her not being in his presence that he affected her as strongly as he had the first day of the game. She felt like she was falling, farther and farther down. And she was powerless to stop it. Jenny didn't even know if she wanted to.

"So," he mentioned casually. "What's this about a party I hear?" Jenny's heart thumped loudly. Of course he had been watching. It was what he did, after all. She blushed as she thought about what Cara had said about him. That had probably fed his ego a bit. Yet, for one, crazy moment, as he stroked her skin with a touch as light as a cat's paw, she thought about inviting him to the party. As something more than friends. Her eyes flicked open.

"I think I got it." Jenny turned her head to look at him. Her voice was thankfully strong and her eyes suddenly gleamed with a challenge.

He smiled at her, his eyes amused and stepped back. Tilting his head downward he swept his arm out in invitation.

"Be my guest."

She smirked at him for a moment and closed her eyes. Taking deep breaths, she concentrated. She extended her arm again, imagining the fire flickering in her palm. She could almost feel its warmth in her hand, hear the crackle of flame. Finally, she released the power. "Kenaz!"

Suddenly a flame bloomed in the palm of her hand, and a whoosh of air let itself out as she realized she had been holding her breath. The bright flame floated above her skin, never wavering. She had done it.

Julian, grinning, walking back towards her. "Very good. You're a natural, Jenny," he purred at her.

Still giddy, she blew out the flame before hopping up and throwing her arms around the young shadow man. "Thank you! I couldn't have done it without you Julian." She could tell he was surprised for a moment, but then he put his arms around her in return.

"No problem, Sunshine." He murmured into her hair solemnly. Her energy died down for a peaceful moment. Jenny didn't make a move to step out of his arms, she just rested her head on his shoulder. She felt his chest rise and fall with his breath, felt his heartbeat reverberating strong against her skin. For some reason, she felt right in Julian's arms, felt calmer, and even safer. Julian usually made her feel so out of control, like she was falling and couldn't stop. But now, she felt there was no other place she had to be. Their bodies fit together perfectly, like two pieces of a lost puzzle. It was strange, she thought, and yet not strange at all.

Finally, she shook her head as if to wake herself up from a daze. Stepping out of his arms she thanked him again. He tipped his head to her graciously, smiling, though his eyes held something more somber.

Jenny gave him a smile she knew was slightly lopsided, trying to lighten the mood. "You know, we missed you the last couple days. Cara thought you'd been hiding from her." Julian's eyes lightened at the change of subject as Jenny continued. "Even I was beginning to wonder what was up. You wouldn't happen to be planning something would you?" She smiled wider and nudged his arm playfully. In another one of his arbitrary mood swings, he turned light and playful as a cat.

The shadow man grinned and took the arm she had nudged him with. Twirling her for a moment, he gazed at her, before pulling her close. One arm was around her and the other held her hand gently, making it seem as if they were about to break into a waltz. Jenny's breath caught in her throat for a moment as she stared into his bewitching eyes. Julian said softly, "Oh, I've been out and about, here and there. You know," he paused, his eyelids drooping, heavy lashes coming down as he looked into her emerald eyes, "...enjoying the sights." Mischief was clear in his voice and Jenny felt her face grow hot. Silent for a moment, still in each others arms, they held each other's gaze. Their lips were mere inches apart.

Jenny cleared her throat. Julian, smiling with clear amusement, stepped back, drawing his arms back to his sides. The two stayed silent beneath the moonlit sky for a few awkward moments, before Julian spoke.

"Jenny." His beautiful voice was somber. She looked at him. "Why did you bring me back?"

Suddenly uncomfortable, she looked down at the ground. Just thinking about that day brought tears to her eyes.

Julian continued. Stepping toward her, he brought his hand up to reach towards her. "Because at first I had thought that, maybe..." His hand stopped just before it touched her cheek, and he let it drop.

"Maybe what?" Jenny asked him, her gleaming green eyes looking up at him.

He shook his head. "Nothing." Julian turned his head as his eyes flashed with an odd emotion. Memories illuminated in Jenny's mind, and she saw Julian, standing beside a ticket booth with a brass telescope on top. His face looked incredibly weary, with an inward look in his eyes, as if nothing mattered. A kind of shattering inside. After a moment, it was gone.

"Julian," Jenny began. "Something's been bothering me lately." His icy blue eyes focused on her. "If all it takes is to cut out a piece of the runestave, why haven't the shadow men just... Killed you again? What's stopping them?"

Julian nodded. "I've often wondered the same thing. Growing up in the shadow world, I've always noticed one thing though. Only the lead elder can use the runestave. My other elders have hardly touched it. They've always told me that it was tradition, but if there's one thing I've learned, the shadow men can't be trusted. Something about _you_ being the one to write my name back onto the runestave is very, very important."

"Important how?" Jenny puzzled.

"Well, I think that maybe, because of what you did, they _can't_ kill me again, even if they want to. What I believe is whoever writes a name on the runestave, has to be the one to un-write it as well." He gazed at her from beneath dark lashed eyes, encouraging her to understand. Her eyes gazed back confused, still not quite making the connection.

"Jenny... _You_ brought me back. Which means-"

"Only I can kill you." Jenny finished, her voice soft and understanding. She was silent as this set in. Julian couldn't die, unless she was the one to do it. That was a heavy weight on her shoulders, she thought. "And if I die?"

Julian shrugged. "Who knows? But it seems my life is in your hands, my dear." He grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it lightly. Fire and ice shot through her arm, and she shivered involuntarily. His wolf-hungry smile flashed at her in the moonlight, lips full and tempting.

As Jenny looked at his face, her heart swelled for a moment and she felt like she couldn't keep any secrets from him any longer. He had done everything in his power to make her happy these past few months. Jenny decided she'd tell him about how she planned to go back to the shadow world, to save her friends. He'd try to stop her, yes, but he had a right to know. As her friend.

"Julian... I need to talk to you about something." She said cautiously. He hesitated a moment before nodding, pulling back. There was a recognizable twinkle in his eye. As Jenny opened her mouth to speak, suddenly a branch snapped nearby, so loud it had seemed just behind her. Jenny gasped, whipping around to see where the noise came from, but she couldn't see anything. She stared at the darkness a bit before turning. Widening her eyes, Jenny turned back to find herself alone in the clearing. Julian had disappeared. Of course. She let out a breath and rolled her eyes.

As she walked back to her dorm, she could swear she could hear him laughing.


End file.
